The i-Real concept we saw doing the rounds at Geneva motor show earlier this year may not be as far off as you’d expect. According to sources at Toyota, the personal mobility vehicle is set to join Toyota’s Harmonious Mobility Network (Ha:mo) urban transport system trials at Toyota City in Japan.
Aiming to improve traffic flow and minimize emissions, the Ha:mo urban transport system has been designed to combine public and private transport through a combination of electric vehicle car sharing and traffic routing information. The system has been divided into two services: Ha:mo Navi — which provides route guidance through a combination of personal vehicles and public transportation — and Ha:mo Ride, a car sharing system using ultra compact electric vehicles.
Currently Toyota’s Ha:mo fleet consists of ten COMS electric vehicles and ten Yamaha power-assisted bicycles. But the system is due to increase ten-fold to provide 100 electric cars and bicycles this month, when 17 Ha:mo stations in close proximity to main line train stations and major public facilities are scheduled to open.
Access to these vehicles these vehicles will be provided through the Ha:mo smartphone application, which will send push notifications to users weekly so they can reserve vehicles and access local bus routes. To ensure the project is financially viable, this will come at a cost: 200¥ (roughly $2.00) for the first ten minutes of use, and 20¥ ($0.20) for each additional minute.
Visit Toyota’s website to learn more and watch a short video on the Ha:mo system
